Earring retainer



1934; R. M. GOULD r 1,971,216

EARRING RETAINER Filed May 22, 1934 INVENTOR Y' aoierlai m. Gould BPatented Aug. 21, 1934 EARRING RETAINER Roberta M. Gould, New York, N.Y.

Application May 22, 1934, Serial No. 726,944

4 Claims.

This invention relates to an improvement in ear-ring retainers, and hasfor its object to provide a simple, inexpensive and effective device forholding ear-rings in position on the lobes of r 55 the ears andpreventing slippage of the ear-rings therefrom.

The conventional type of ear-ring widely used at the present time, isheld on the lobe of the ear by being clamped thereon, the vogue ofpiercing the ears to accommodate an ear-ring having since passed. Thepresent day type of ear-ring is provided with a yoke which straddles thelobe of the ear, and has a clamping screw formed with a rounded end orhead movable in the yoke, to clamp the lobe. In order tosecurely holdthe earring in position on the ear, it is necessary that the clampingscrew be tightened to a considerable extent with the result that thepressure imposed on the lobe of the ear often causes discomfort. On theother hand, if the clamping screw is insufficiently tightened tosecurely clamp the lobe, the ear-ring will fall off and be lost. This isparticularly true in warm weather when perspiration induces a slipperycondition of the skin and it is almost impossible to hold an ear-ring inplace without tightening the clamping screw so that the pressure on theear lobe is uncomfortably severe.

The primary object of this invention is to provide a simple, unobtrusivepad which is adhesive- 1y attached to the back of the ear lobe, and

against which the head of the clamping screw impinges. This pad not-onlyrelieves the pressure of the screw on the ear, but is provided with arecess or seat for the end of the screw so that slippage of the car-ringis eiiectively prevented and at the same time, the pressure of theclamping screw may be lessened.

In the accompanying drawing, wherein several embodiments of theinvention are shown, Fig. 1 is a sectional view of the improvedretainer, showing the reception of the ear-ring thereby; Fig. 2 is aface view of one of the retainers applied to the back of the ear-lobe;Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the retainer; Fig. 4 is a perspectiveview of a modified device; and Fig. 5 is a sectional View of the deviceshown in Fig. 4, as applied to the ear.

Referring to the structure shown in Figs. 1 to 3, 5 indicates theyokewhich forms part of the ear-ring structure. At one end the yoke carriesan ornament 6 or the like. With some types of ear-rings, the ornament isdependent from the yoke, but since the ear-ring structure forms no partof the invention, its precise structure is immaterial. A threadedclamping screw 7 is mounted in one end of the yoke, said screw beingprovided with a rounded head or end 8 which cooperates With a fixed stop9 on the other end of the yoke, to clamp the ear-ring on the lobe 19 ofthe ear.

The improved retainer is shown in detail, in Figs. 2 and 3, where itwill be seen that it is provided with a base or body portion 10 ofdisk-shape which has an exposed adhesive-surfaced face 11 adapted to beapplied against the back of the ear lobe 19, as clearly shown in Figs. 1and 2. United with the body portion 10 is an annulus 14., which byreason of its annular form, defines a recess or pocket 12 into which thehead or end 8 of the clamping screw fits. The body portion 10 and theunited annulus 14 are both made of soft textile fabric and the pressureof the head of the clamping screw imposed upon the body portion 10 isaccordingly well cushioned. The head of the clamping screw beingpocketed in the recess 12 is prevented from lateral movement andconsequently the ear-ring cannot easily be displaced and fall off.

In the modified structure shown in Figs. 4 and 5, the body portion 10 isdispensed with and the entire device consists of the annular member 14which has one of its faces coated with the adhesive. With this device,the head 8 of the clamping screw lies in the center opening 15 of theannulus and impinges directly againstthe' ear lobe and is prevented fromlateral slipping by its confinement in the recess or central opening 15.

In use, the device is simply adhesively applied on the back of the earlobe. The ear-ring then has its clamping screw tightened until the head8 thereon seats within the recess of the device with comfortablepressure on the ear. Slipping of the ear-ring will be effectivelyprevented with the imposition of a relatively light pressure by theclamping screw.

' What I claim is:

1. A device of the class described comprising the combination of anear-ring provided with a clamping screw, and a pad provided with anadhesive surface for application on the ear lobe, said pad receiving thepressure of the clamping screw of the ear-ring.

2. A device of the class described comprising the combination of anear-ring having a clamping screw, and a pad provided with an adhesivesurface for application on the ear lobe, said pad receiving the pressureof the end of a clamping screw of the ear-ring, said pad being provided4. In combination an ear-ring having a clamping screw, and. a pad havingan adhesive coating on one of its faces by which it is adhesivelyattached to the ear and having a recess forming a seating for the end ofthe ear-ring clamping screw.

ROBERTA M. GOULD.

